# Pick a mutant ability, any mutant ability... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 23, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554 "2000-07-23T16:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/1 "2000-07-23T16:18:00Z")
In light of the popularity of the X-Men movie, what mutant ability (of the mutants in the comics) would you choose? For defense, I’d choose Gambit’s ability to “charge” any object with kinetic energy for use as a weapon. For a non-violent defense, I’d choose Prof. X’s mind control power. For offense, you can’t beat Wolverine’s rapid healing ability. You can get your ass kicked and recover almost instantly. Downside if you drink alcohol, you don’t get drunk, (this was mentioned in a comic somewhere, IIRC), but you can smoke like a forest fire and not damage your lungs (if you’re into that sort of thing). Of course, Nightcrawler’s teleportation trick is neat if you don’t mind the sulfur smell. Oh, and it’s only line-of-sight, so travelling around the world would take a little longer than you’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/2 "2000-07-23T18:26:51Z")
My choice would be the ability to fly (like so many mutants can, at will with no apparent means of propulsion). A close second would be a healing factor like that of Wolverine. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/3 "2000-07-23T18:33:40Z")
To be able to deflect bullets with my golden bracelets! ---
**Author:** ![Baglady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Baglady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baglady)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/4 "2000-07-23T18:37:49Z")
The ability to lose weight at will!!! ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/5 "2000-07-23T18:41:53Z")
I would control the weather. That has always appealed to me for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/6 "2000-07-23T19:17:52Z")
I’d want the ability to stretch my body at will. I’d never have to leave my couch to get anything… ahhh! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/7 "2000-07-23T20:56:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Blue Sky \* > **For offense, you can’t beat Wolverine’s rapid healing ability.** I’m at a loss as to how a healing factor can be used offensively… Anyway… The healing factor is my choice, BTW. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/8 "2000-07-23T21:13:41Z")
I’ll take Professor X’s ability to read and control minds. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/9 "2000-07-23T21:29:08Z")
I like Gambit’s ability to kinetically charge objects so they blow up. That would be so cool to be able to make a projectile explosive out of anything (Including playing cards). Too bad Gambit wasn’t in the S-men movie…maybe he’ll be in the sequel. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/10 "2000-07-23T21:30:18Z")
God damn ‘S’ key above the ‘X’ key… ---
**Author:** ![jessicala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jessicala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jessicala)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/11 "2000-07-23T21:39:12Z")
I’ve read the comics only occasionally, but if one of them had the ability to control time, I’d be all over that. What I wouldn’t give to be able to slow down time while still moving around at my normal speed … ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/12 "2000-07-23T22:02:28Z")
Let’s see. Wolverine’s healing factor, Phoenix level telekenesis/telepathy, and Bishop’s ability to absorb any engery thrown at me and redirect it would be cool. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Osip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4491bb/32.png) [@Osip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Osip)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/13 "2000-07-23T23:03:04Z")
I would love to have the ablity to shrink and enlarge Manhole covers. Could mess with quite a few City workers that way. No really, If I were to gain a mutnat power…hurm. I would have to say Longshots Luck… Oh come on someone had to remember Longshot. any one? Osip ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2000, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/14 "2000-07-23T23:50:41Z")
First off, healing factor is offensive–he can sit there and take a beating all day, waiting for you to let down your guard. But strictly speaking, yeah. Of course I remember Longshot–which is why you don’t want his luck: 1. It only works when his motives are pure. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have too many pure motives. 2. It draws on probablility, and causes bad luck for somebody else somewhere. The hollow bones thing was pretty cool, though. I’d have to go w/ Daredevil-like senses and athletic ability, even if it meant losing my eyesight (heck, it’s almost gone anyway). ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/15 "2000-07-24T00:12:28Z")
Does Daredevil count? Based on the OP, Mr. Blue Sky’s looking for mutant powers only, and Daredevil’s not a mutant. If you’re looking for luck with impure motives, why not pick Domino? By her own admission, it’s not at the same level as Longshot’s, but it’s still up there. My choice would be M–that’s, what, flight, superstrength, telepathy and who knows what else. If the sorcery was included with the teleporation, Magik. Or Cecelia Reyes’ forcefield would be nice, expecially since she’s found out it can be used offensively. ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/16 "2000-07-24T00:30:39Z")
Well, on the issue of Daredevil, it isn’t the chemicals that did it to him–turns out that he had the potential all along. I don’t think that they ever specifically call it mutation (the call him an “adept” or something), it sounds a lot like that to me. Besides, Longshot isn’t a mutant either–he was constructed. Still, if I have to go elsewhere…Tempo, from the MLF. Flight and the ability to slow down time for others/speed it up for yourself and friends. Sure would cut down on walking/drive times. Also lets you dodge bullets with ease. Gotta love that. ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/17 "2000-07-24T00:31:54Z")
In my normal life, I’d like to have an invisibility field. Just too cool for words, I tell ya. If I were a part of a baddie-fighting mutant team, then I would DEFINATELY go with super enhanced reflexes/agility. The X-Men movie was great, and I hope that it brings in lots and lots of new fans for comics. I’ve been a fan since I was 17, and there are certainly some great ones out there worth reading. Let’s face it folks, X-Men is gateway comic. Sure, you start by buying just X-Men, but then you start to buy the crossovers…the next thing you know you’re buying manga and waiting breathlessly for the next Spyboy ish. 🙂 K. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/18 "2000-07-24T02:34:22Z")
The ability to read minds, even without the ability to control them, would be soooo excellent. Imagine, you could walk into a club and instantly know if there were any women there attracted to you! You could go to Vegas and clean up at the poker table! Or read Alex Trebek’s mind as he reads the answer in front of him and get a perfect score at Jeopardy! And, of course, the President would take you along to every treaty negotiation… ---
**Author:** ![Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/0ea827/32.png) [@Zaphod\_Beeblebrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zaphod_Beeblebrox)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/19 "2000-07-24T03:08:44Z")
Ummmmm… omnipotence. 😃 Hey, my 30th post… cool. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554/20 "2000-07-24T03:24:41Z")
I’d have to go with the ability to travel through shadows like Silhouette (she is a mutant, isn’t she?) If that doesn’t count, then telekinesis would kick much ass. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pick-a-mutant-ability-any-mutant-ability/26554.md?page=2)